Tag: Southwest Airlines

I’ve been a little quiet on here lately because….well, I’ll be honest, life. We traveled to Wisconsin for Easter, I’ve worked every weekend of April so far with wedding season hitting the ground running, we were in Orlando for a conference last week, you get the idea.

But after traveling with a little babe for the first time, I was inspired to share some ideas I had about traveling with a little one. Before we left, I scoured the Internet for any advice I could find from other moms and I’ve had lots of new mamas say they were headed on trips soon, so I’m hoping you can learn a thing or two from our travels.

How We Navigated the Airport:

1. First and foremost, make sure you pack your baby’s birth certificate! Even if they are traveling with you on your lap, you still need their birth certificate as verification. Had I not read this online, I would have never known this and we would have been screwed. You can also go ahead and add your little one to your reservation online prior to getting to the airport to speed up the process. But if you forget, don’t worry. You can also do that at the airport when you get the birth certificate verified.

2. We were headed to Orlando where we were going to be hitting up some of the parks, walking a convention center and being out and about a lot, so I wanted to make sure we were prepared. That meant a lot of carry ons and a lot of bags. We felt a bit like a three-ring circus but after arriving, we were so glad we lugged everything there, and we definitely weren’t the only ones.

We flew Southwest, which was great because each adult was allowed two checked bags and two carry-ons.

We packed P her own suitcase, one for me and one for Ryan, and we checked all three of these bags.

We gate checked her stroller and car seat (check out these great products to make this process much easier!)

Then, we carried on her diaper bag; another bag with some reading materials for ourselves (if we got a few minutes on the flight while P was sleeping), additional toys for her, my clutch and necessities, such as gum, hand sanitizer, etc.; and lastly, my pump bag, which also had a mini cooler full of breast milk.

3. Security was actually a lot less stressful than I anticipated it to be. First of all, give yourself plenty of time when you arrive. We arrived 2.5 hours early, which allowed us to check in, get through a busy security line, feed her and change her diaper all before we had to board. While in line, I transferred P into our Ergobaby 360 carrier since we had to collapse the stroller. We sent the stroller and car seat on the conveyor belt, and I carried P through the metal detector. I made sure to mention to the staff that my bag contained a pump and breast milk, so they knew ahead of time that they would have to look through the bag and test the milk.

4. When you have a little one, you get to board relatively early, which allows you to have first dibs on seats and overhead storage and to get on the plane without people breathing down your neck. That was helpful to also feel very settled in prior to take off.

5. And finally, the take off. Obviously, the air pressure is something completely new to a baby, so make sure there is something for them to suck on while taking off. Whether it’s a pacifier, a bottle of milk or even your nipple, make sure they are swallowing to help with the change in pressure.

My Must-Have Products for Traveling With A Baby:

Keep in mind these might be specific to a warm location and not applicable to all destinations, but for a trip that included a pool, lots of walking and sightseeing, these were definitely my must-haves.

Baby Trend Snap-N-Go Stroller, Target, $69.99
This was a last-minute purchase I actually made through the Facebook Marketplace, and boy was I glad I did! My original plan was to bring our regular stroller, but I thought this would be super easy to use to navigate the airport and it ended up being great on all aspects of the trip. First, because P loves her car seat, so being able to pop the car seat on wheels kept her super comfortable. Secondly, it allowed us to transfer her from car to stroller even if she was napping without interrupting her. Lastly, it’s lightweight, adapts to a variety of car seats and was easy to fold up to throw the in the car and store in the hotel room.

Bumbo Floor Seat, Amazon, $49.99
Yes, pretty much everyone owns one of these, but it was not on my original packing list. Having this on the trip was great because it gave us a spot to set her down that still allowed her to play on her own and didn’t take up too much space in a suit case. It was also great out at the pool, which I never originally thought about. I was able to sit her on a lawn chair next to me in the shade while I got some sun. Plus, it’s waterproof and I was able to wipe it off after she had sat in it wearing sunscreen.

Battery-Powered Clip On Fan, Target, $9.79
I snagged this idea from another blogger, and I am so glad I ended up bringing one. It allowed us to be able to enjoy the pool or a midday walk, and P could nap or keep at a comfortable temperature. With the battery operation, it was portable and we could use it anywhere. With the clip, I was able to clip it on her stroller, car seat, etc.

I read it on countless blogs, but I really didn’t believe it until I had experienced it myself. When traveling with a baby, you just have to roll with the punches. Take your time (by giving yourself a little extra time) and keep in mind that most people at the airport have been in your place at one point. We had tons of people who offered to help or gave me words or encouragement from their own experiences. We lucked out and Parker was great, so hopefully you have the same outcome with your little one!

Nice to Meet You

I'm Kristi Ruprecht, the voice and face behind Kristi Uncorked. I am an Event Specialist by profession and all-around party lover and hostess by choice. I'm a new mom who loves writing and sharing experiences and ideas. Keep coming back to read all about life's good, bad and oh my gosh moments. Thanks for stopping by! Photo by: Catherine Rhodes PhotographySearch for:

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